Díaz de la Portilla leads, on track for runoff in Miami commission race

It's not over yet, folks. The two biggest races in yesterday's local elections appear to be headed for runoffs later this month.

Driving the news: Suspended Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla is not on track to receive the majority vote needed to win re-election to his District 1 seat.

• If unofficial results hold, he will head to a Nov. 21 runoff election against Miguel Angel Gabela, whose candidacy had been challenged by City Hall in a redistricting lawsuit. (Gabela's candidacy was upheld by an Appeals Court just yesterday.)
• Díaz de la Portilla was arrested in September on corruption charges that he denies. He pleaded not guilty, but still faces the threat of suspension if he wins.

In the race for Miami Beach mayor, Commissioner Steven Meiner and former Commissioner Michael Gongora are lined up to also advance to the winner-take-all Nov. 21 runoff after receiving the most votes in the four-way contest.

• Former commissioner and ex-state Rep. Mike Grieco was defeated, per the unofficial results.

What else: Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes — who announced this week he is undergoing treatment for leukemia — is likely headed for a lopsided re-election win in the District 4 race.

• District 2 Sabina Covo is headed for a runoff against Damián Pardo.
• Miami Beach appeared likely to elect at least two new commissioners: Tanya Katzoff Bhatt and David Suarez. A third, Joe Magazine, held a very tight lead in unofficial results, leaving open the possibility of a recount.

There were local elections in three other Miami-Dade municipalities.

Hialeah: Incumbent Group 1 Council member Monica Nicole Perez is on track to win re-election.

• Group 4 challenger Angelica Pacheco appeared likely to upset incumbent Vivian Casáls-Muñoz.

Homestead: Incumbent Council members Sean L. Fletcher and Larry Roth appeared to win re-election based on unofficial results.

• Council candidates Thomas B. Davis and Clemente Canabal — who received endorsements from Mayor Steve Losner — were on track to win their races.

Surfside: Voters appear to have defeated three ballot referendums pushed by Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, including one that would have doubled term limits for elected officials.

See the full results here and here.